Morning journal and courier., 1887-09-22
Thur,day, September 22, 1887
A MAN FOR THE TIMES.

| John J. COWan, the Baltimore lawyer Wno
 is attacking the corrupt Democratic ring of which Senator German of Maryland is the
 head, is very determined and able reformer,
 and he is giving and seems likely to continue to give the ring much trouble.
 l Mr. Cowan gets $20, 1000 a year for legal work for the Baltimore and Ohio railroad company, and German and his gang have, it
 seems, been trying to ''squelch" him by | making it unpleasant for him with the Balti-
 more and Ohio company. But the scheme l hasn't worked yet. In an interview MT. l Cowan says: "Mr. Go,man knows that MT. l Garrett is his supporter because MT. Garrett
 has so told him, but that as far as I am con- cerned, as regards my political conduct, am a man of too much independence to be con- 1 trolled by any company whom serve simply as a legal adviser. Within the last ten days l Mr. Burns, the president pro tenn. of this | company, has expressed his regret at my | taking the course I have. I know that my public course is regretted by the first vice president. This is not because either of these, my superior officers, wishes for mo- 1 ment to control my political conduct, but eeAHAS advantage of that to make legislative attacks upon the corporation" And in letter to the l Baltimore Sun Mr. Cowan said: II want to say that every time I have endeavored to take step of political independence the dogs of the ring have been bowling around the Baltimore and Ohio Central building. No one but myself knows the pressure that has been brought to bear upon me to coerce me from my political independence"
 But Mr. Cowan is not man to be easily put down. He has compelled the registers of voters in each ward in the city now sitting to permit members of the Citizens Reform l league to be present and see how the work is done. Cowan has good reason for thinking that much of the fraud at the ballot box in Baltimore has it's beginning in the registra- l tion offices, and he is therefore striking at | the root of the evil. Many prominent mer- ! chants, business men and hundreds of york; l ingmen have written him letters commenting
 his course, and expressing their determina- ! tion to renounce German and vote the Re- publican State ticket this fall. Clubs are being organized throughout the entire State, l and Democrats are invited through the press
 and from the hustings to support the Republi- | can ticket and break up German rule in | Maryland. MT. Cowan says that his appeals | will be made to the employees of every cor l poration in the State. He says that he will l say to them: am fighting your battle for free speech, for free thought, for political independence shall urge the employees of my own railroad company, the employees of l the Pennsylvania railroad company, the 1 Western Maryland railroad company and all others to assert their manhood, yindicate
 their right to independence and teach the
 brigands of politics that they cannot brandish the knife at the throat of the employers so 1 as to assail the political independence of the employees.
 Success to him. Such man so fighting in l such cause deserves the hearty support of all the good citizens of Maryland, and the l respect of good citizens everywhere.